{"id":373819,"date":"2016-03-31T21:35:26","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:35:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/maryland-law\/maryland-civil-statute-of-limitations-laws.html"},"modified":"2025-05-28T14:59:22","modified_gmt":"2025-05-28T19:59:22","slug":"maryland-civil-statute-of-limitations-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/maryland-law\/maryland-civil-statute-of-limitations-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Maryland Civil Statute of Limitations Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Maryland Civil Statute of Limitations Laws<\/h1>\n
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\n By Susan Buckner, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

All states have statutes of limitations. These are time limits placed on plaintiffs’ ability to file personal injury lawsuits. Statutes of limitations<\/a> help ensure that civil claims get filed in a reasonable amount of time. Setting a fixed filing deadline means plaintiffs must file tort cases while evidence is readily available and witness recollections are fresh.<\/p>\r\n

There are different statutes of limitations for civil and criminal cases. Criminal statutes place limitations periods on prosecutors. These statutes protect the right to speedy trials for defendants. Under Maryland law, statutes of limitation are part of the courts and judicial proceedings and regulate legal actions.<\/p>\r\n

In Maryland, most civil cases have a three-year statute of limitations. The statute usually runs from the date of the injury, but not always. The discovery rule<\/b> allows plaintiffs to start personal injury claims on the date they first learned of the injury or harm. For instance, a car accident causes immediate injuries that plaintiffs notice within three years. Exposure to toxic chemicals might cause an illness that a plaintiff overlooks for a long period of time.<\/p>\r\n

Tolling<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Tolling suspends the statute of limitations if there is a valid reason for doing so. Maryland courts recognize several reasons for tolling civil statutes of limitation.<\/p>\r\n